Clear Lake begins school year with cautious optimism

(Above) Constructing a new year! Clear Lake Middle School Principal Mike Lester extends a fist bump to Jordan Ainley as he enters the school, followed by Walker Williams and Carson Asbe on the first day of classes Tuesday, Aug. 25.  Lester said he was wearing the hard hat he wore during his welcome back with teachers last week.  "I talked about a construction site when building a home.  I showed a picture of an excavated hole that was a muddy mess.  In the muddy mess, I pointed out the footing which supports the whole weight of the beautiful house that will be constructed.  I used the analogy about how this year is like no other we've seen in education.  Almost like a muddly mess!  But when you look close you can see the groundwork our teachers have done to lay the foundation for a beautiful year.  When the school year 2021-2022 hits, we are going to look back on this year and say we built this beautiful education experience for our kids!"

by Marianne Gasaway

The first day of school is always a blend of emotions: a little bit scary, intimidating, exhilarating, fun, challenging— and that’s in a normal year.

Clear Lake High School students returned to the classroom Monday and middle school students followed Tuesday morning.  Clear Creek Elementary will welcome students today (Wednesday, Aug. 26).  By all accounts, the start of the school year went off without a hitch, despite many new practices in place to protect students and staff from the spread of COVID-19.

“There is so much preparation that goes into the first day of school, you never really feel 100 percent prepared during a normal year.  This year, starting under the restrictions we have to follow, makes the first day even more difficult,” said CLHS Principal Chris Murphy.  “Students did a great job being cooperative and following all of our new expectations during the first day.  It is an adjustment for both the adults and the kids.  We have a great high school staff, so our kids will be cared for and will be provided a positive experience.  What that looks like this year will be different from a normal school year.”

Eighty-five of the 110 members of the CLHS senior class attending Monday’s Senior Breakfast hosted by the Clear Lake

[wlm_nonmember]To read more of this article, please login or sign up for our E-Edition[/wlm_nonmember][wlm_ismember]

CARES Committee.

“It was as normal as it could be.  We did our best to carry on the breakfast tradition and got a class picture, with and without masks,” said Michelle Krefft, one of the event organizers.  Chris Cakes served up a pancake breakfast and entertained students by flipping their cakes in the air for a landing on their plates.  After students filed through the breakfast line wearing masks, they ventured outside to eat and catch up with each other.  Parents and other spectators were kept outside of the taped-off area.  “We followed public health guidelines and tried to make it a safe start to the year,” said Krefft.    The committee also presented seniors masks that say “Quarantined Senior 2021”  to kick off the day.

Carson Krefft said it was one of four masks he received during the day.  They will become part of his daily routine, since students in the Clear Lake district are attending classes in-person five days a week and are required to wear masks while on campus.

“It was a little different, with the mask mandate, but most everyone was really on board with it,” said Carson about his first day back at the high school.  “There were a few grumbling, but if it means getting back to school, we were ready to do it.”

Aside from scheduled sanitizing and plenty of signage reminding all of social distancing and other safety practices, the high school implemented block scheduling, which Krefft explained meant just four classes a day, rather than eight. Open campus for the seniors also reduces the number of students in hallways, he noted.

Another senior, Olivia Brcka, said she also felt like the day went well, “especially considering the fact that none of us have been to school in person since early March and we have had so many changes to our usual school routine.”

“Obviously we have to wear masks, social distance, etc., but we also have had our schedules change and there have been a lot of new protocols around lunchtime. Despite all of that, I think the school has really been doing their best to make sure we are all as safe as we can be,” said Brcka.  “Being a senior this year has its own challenges, but we have some good stuff going on, too. Both the school and our parents have been working really hard to work around COVID and make senior traditions happen, and we all really appreciate the time and effort they have put into it. I think overall, we just understand that we do have a responsibility to keep ourselves and our community safe. The last thing we want to do is get teachers and loved ones sick, and if we have to make some sacrifices then we will. I am really trying to stay positive and see what happens the rest of this year!”

Superintendent Doug Gee said district employees worked hard cleaning and sanitizing buildings to be ready to welcome students.

“Our teachers will do everything they can to do their best to educate our students and keep the staff and students safe.  We all realize this is a fluid situation and we have to be ready to move to an alternative at any time, but I feel confident that our staff will be ready to make those transitions,” said Gee.

To better prepare elementary students and their parents for the start of the school year, staff at Clear Creek Elementary conducted conferences with parents on Monday and Tuesday to ensure all were aware of operating procedures and all questions were answered.

“We have heard from many parents and most of them are grateful for the opportunity to have their children back in school and appreciate everything the school is doing to not only educate their children, but also work to protect them, as well,” said Gee.  “It is really great to live in a community that supports their school like the Clear Lake Community does.”

[/wlm_ismember]